What looks for the Wingnut?

Good grief. No. 

AAAARGH!!!!!

YOU NO TAKE CANDLE

I rather think not.

Hrum. Green...? We'll have a think on it. 

Elin Modification Step 1

Customising a Blythe is something that I have done before; the result is Plum. However things get a bit tricksy when you go back in the annals of Takara to something called the 'Superior Blythe' faceplates.

The mega difference between SBLs and the newer Blythes is that they only have two screws in the back of their heads and (more irritatingly) a glued-in head dome, with a scalp glued on top of that. This means they're a bit of a mare to get apart... no, seriously. One of my go-to websites mentioned SAWING. 

With this prospect waving at me when thoughts of customising Elin reared their head, I was understandably reluctant to give it a go. But she and I really weren't getting on, especially after I tried to sell her and failed miserably. 

I turned to Blythe Kingdom for advice. Although an appreciable amount of forumers suggested I send her off to the Bay of Evil, the majority thought she'd be salvageable with a bit of custom work. Most thought I should pay someone else to do it. But I'm afraid after spending £90 on a doll I don't really like, I'm not keen on spending another "fill in the box here" to end up with a doll I still don't like. 

So up went the sleeves, out came the tools and on with it we got. 

First step: screw removal. So far, so simple. 

We got 4 pairs of new chippies too! 

The disassembly stage thankfully isn't pictured. This involved a very sharp craft knife, side-swiping my thumb and managing to cut some of the scalp flanges off. Not a mega disaster, the edge of the scalp is still pretty clean and the thumb wound isn't deep, but still. We'd have liked a perfect result. 

Blood not pictured.

Getting the eye mech out was more tricksy than on Plum. Part of me wonders if this is because the plastic in a real Blythe is higher quality than the factory. 

Plum wants to be a) Blonde b) Nudist

Finally, we were in bits and ready to start stage two!

Eye see you!

Update on Number 3

Number 3 Blythe, who you may remember from kitchen escapades a week or so ago, has been in the process of getting a makeover.

Pleased to announce that we're nearly there!

The purple and copper chips are my favourites.

She still needs a date with a wet flannel and a hot iron to sort out her fringe.

What you can't see is the butterfly clip holding the fringe in place :) 

But I'm reasonably pleased with the results.

Eyeshadow did not work out, so we're not having any at the moment, just starry lids.

Stars! Yaaay!

The eye mech sticks *sigh* I think the grey chips stand too proud of the eye surface... and I did have to do a bit of a botch job on the arc. Unfortunately this was made of very cheap brittle plastic and went 'ping' when I disassembled her. They turn by hand just fine.

Pull one to open the eyes... pull the other to... erm... well. Not do anything much in the way of changing... right now. Hrum. 

Still not sure on the gold chips. Hrum.

They're not bad. Just a bit STARING. Dunno. Might grow on me? 

Surgery, Jim. But not as we know it.

No, this has nothing to do with the Makies, who are officially impartial observers in this process.

Number 3, as she's being called around here, was always purchased with the intention of using her as a customisation guinea pig.

Last night, after a frustrating day of failed corsetry (more about *that* over the weekend), I decided it was time to get going on her.

Number 3 has lost her head...

Taking apart was surprisingly simple, although I don't think I could've done it without the fantastic tutorials on Puchi Collective and this collection of surperb tutorial videos by an Aussie Blythe enthusiast.

Removing the eye mech is the bloody scary bit!

Sand-matting is so therapeutic, I can see much more of this in my future.

There was a moment where I regretted using a factory Blythe for my first; a bit of low-quality eye mech plastic decided to break on me. Looking at the part, I think it's designed to be stationary, so I should be alright to superglue/epoxy/thread wrap it into place, but it was still an AAAARGH moment.

Boggled, sand-matted, lips carved... nostrils need more work and we're going to do a little gaze lift, I think.
The eyelashes are staying as they are, they're swoopy and lovely. 

After the carving is done, we're on to the face-up... but first there's a little matter of Hogswatch to attend to... :)

And for the benefit of those of you who know me in person: I DIDN'T CUT MYSELF AT ALL, despite using craft knives and blades and other spiky sharp things. Woooyeah, GO hand-eye co-ordination.